1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to large roll sod harvesters, and in particular to a net and core tube feeding system for use on such sod harvesters.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,827, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Cutting Sod Which Rolls in a Semi-flaccid Sheet into Sod Roll,” and commonly owned with the present invention, discloses a large roll sod harvester wherein sod is carried onto a roll-forming conveyor on a layer of net. The conveyor rolls the sod and net into a sod roll which is formed around a core tube or mandrel which then comprises the core of the sod roll. As the roll is formed, the net is pulled from a supply roll mounted below the roll-forming conveyor.
In the disclosed embodiment, a length of the net must be manually pulled off of the supply roll and started onto the conveyor by hand before the sod cutting operation begins. The core tube is also manually placed on the conveyor and retained in position by a rod manually inserted through the center of the core tube. The sod is then manually bent around the core tube to start the roll. After the roll is completed, the net must also be manually cut loose from the supply roll and the process repeated before another roll can be started.
As is apparent from the above description, this original embodiment of the sod harvester required a great deal of manual intervention to form a roll of sod. In order to eliminate this need for human involvement, what is needed is an automatic system for starting and cutting the net, and also for placing the core tubes on the roll-forming conveyor.